Mannion, Beavers deny Buffs with 44-17 win at Reser

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Oregon State's Brandin Cooks (7) catches a pass against Colorado's Kenneth Crawley (2) and Parker Orms (13) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Corvallis, Ore., Saturday, Sept 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

Caleb Smith also caught two touchdowns passes for the Beavers, who never trailed.

Colorado (2-1, 0-1) played its first game in three weeks. Flooding postponed the Buffaloes' Sept. 14 game against Fresno State, in addition to a bye week, causing Colorado coach Mike McIntyre to say earlier this week that "it seems like three years ago since we last played."

The Buffaloes' offense was out of sync for most of the game. Quarterback Connor Wood connected on just 14 of 34 passes for 146 yards. Paul Richardson, who came into game as the country's leading receiver averaging 208.5 yards per game, was held to five receptions for 70 yards.

The Beavers' oft-maligned defense played their best game of the season. Ranked No. 92 in total defense,Oregon State limited Colorado to 124 yards through three quarters, and 300 for the game. The Buffaloes converted only two of 15 third downs.

Oregon State's offense generated 542 total yards.

The Beavers led 17-3 at halftime. OSU scored on its opening possession on a 36-yard field goal by Trevor Romaine, then added touchdowns on Mannion passes of 3 yards to Smith and 8 yards to Cooks.

Oregon State put the game away during the third quarter on a combination of its offensive efficiency and Colorado's special teams miscues.

Mannion and Cooks connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass on the Beavers' opening drive of the second half for a 24-3 lead. Oregon State then converted two Colorado fumbles on kickoff returns into touchdowns, on passes of 42 yards to Terron Ward and 10 yards to Caleb Smith, to take a 38-3 lead.

Mannion broke OSU's record for touchdown passes in a single game on an 11-yard throw to Connor Hamlett with 6:48 left in the fourth quarter.

Colorado scored two touchdowns during the fourth quarter, on Wood passes of 24 yards to Tyler McCullough and 28 yards to Richardson.

Mannion has thrown for at least 350 yards in each of his five games this season, an OSU record, and his 52 career touchdown passes tie him for third all-time with Erik Wilhelm.

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